What Is Retro?

If you are hopelessly wired into old computers and video games and remember the delights of Asteroids, Elite, Space Invaders and Manic Miner, then you have come to the right place in your search for those elusive games and machines that, here in the UK, are now collectively known as Retro.

Yes, retro gaming and collecting is big news and so cool that people are picking up classic machines like the Atari 2600 console and the MB Vectrex, not only to use and play, but even as decorative features for the home.

Its true! There are a whole bunch of people out there collecting all the old micros and games and they've got a long way to go when you consider that the UK has a wonderful heritage with Sinclair, Jupiter Ace, Memotech and Acorn BBC to name but a few. Indeed, Britain in the early 80's was a pioneering nation in the field of consumer electronics and video games.

In the last few years people have been getting together and trading their surplus finds through on-line contacts, collector and user magazines like my own Retro Classix and retro gamers conventions such as Britmeet.

The importance of events, magazines and on-line services, such as eBay, is that collectors can share information, find their wants and trade unwanted goodies they hold. No one need waste any money on collecting because someone, somewhere, needs their surplus items. Even not so rare items have their value and in some places, this can be greater than you might think.

The important thing is to study your market. There are things which are common in one country, but rare in another. A shrewd person can get the collectables they seek at a fraction of the price by selling their own spare stock in places where they are uncommon or non-existent.

Everything has a value, but serious collectors know what they are looking for. Demand and prices will always be determined by factors such as rarity, age and completeness (i.e. original packaging, in good or mint condition). Somebody in America might be looking for a Sinclair Spectrum (where they were never released), so the price offered is likely to be higher than in the UK.

So welcome to the Retro Zone, the ideal environment to make new contacts and put you in touch with the new retro culture that is sweeping the planet

The preceding article was written by Graham Howden, the editor of Retro Classix magazine. These are the opinions of the author, not the opinions of eBay, and therefore eBay does not validate the accuracy of or endorse these opinions.